These ballot recommendations are provided for you by the Larimer County Republican Party Executive Board. The board chose not to take a position on Amendment 80 and was not unanimous in opposing Amendment J. We hope you find them useful in determining how to vote on each ballot measure and thank you for your effort to be an informed voter!
We have provided and excerpt from the Colorado Blue Book to help you better understand the difference between amendments and propositions and referred measures and citizen initiated measures.
Modify Property Tax Exemption for Veterans with Disabilities: This amendment seeks to reduce property taxes paid by some U.S. veteran homeowners by expanding the existing homestead exemption for veterans with 100% service-related disability to include veterans whose disability is rated as making them unemployable.
Recommendation: We support expanding homestead property tax exemptions to include those veterans who are unemployable due to service-related disabilities. We thank them for their service and sacrifice for us.
Judicial Discipline Procedures and Confidentiality: This amendment creates an independent board made up of citizens, lawyers and judges to preside over ethical misconduct hearings involving judges and to impose disciplinary actions.
Recommendation: We support this change in the handling of misconduct hearings and disciplinary actions for the judicial branch creates needed transparency and allows for increased public access.
Constitutional Bail Exception for First Degree Murder: This amendment allows judges to deny bail to a person charged with first degree murder if it can be determined that the proof is “evident” or presumption is “great” that the person committed the crime. Currently, judges are required to set bail for each person charged with first degree murder regardless of the circumstances.
Recommendation: With the repeal of the death penalty in 2020, first degree murder no longer meets the “capital offence” criteria. Currently only those charged with capital offences can be denied bail. We support passage of this amendment to increase public safety.
Repealing the Definition of Marriage: This amendment would repeal the language in the Colorado Constitution that defines a valid marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Same-sex marriage is legal because of court rulings in the Colorado and United States Supreme Courts. Legally, all fifty states are required to recognize same-sex marriage. The removal of the definition does not change any current laws for marriage.
Recommendation: Leave the current definition in place.
* Opposition to this amendment was not unanimous
Modify Constitutional Election Deadlines: This amendment states that election filing deadlines will be one week earlier than the current law. This includes moving up the deadline for citizens to submit signatures for initiatives and referendum petitions and for judges to file a declaration of intent to seek another term. It also requires content of ballot measures to be published in local newspapers 30 days earlier than under current 15 days before ballots are sent out.
Recommendation: We oppose this amendment. No change to the timeline for citizens to submit signatures for petitions. It is difficult enough to collect signatures with the current process.
Constitutional Right to Abortion: This amendment makes abortion a constitutional right in Colorado and prohibits state and local governments from “denying, impeding, or discriminating against exercising” that right. This means that no restrictions on abortion can ever be passed in the future, and it denies parents the right to be notified when their minor child seeks an abortion.
It also repeals an existing Colorado constitutional provision banning the use of public funds for abortion services.
Recommendation: We oppose this amendment. Colorado already has some of the strongest protections for abortion rights of any state in the nation by allowing legal protection for all nine months of pregnancy. Parents should not be denied notification and those who oppose abortion should not be required to fund it under force of law.
Constitutional Right to School Choice: This amendment states that parents have the right to direct the education of their children as part of the state constitution. It defines school choice to include public neighborhood and charter schools, private schools, home schools, open enrollment options, and future innovations in education.
Recommendation: While we are generally supportive of school choice the executive board chose not to take a position on this amendment due to problematic language found in the last sentence stating that “Each K-12 child has the right to school choice.” This constitutional wording may in some cases grant the authority for school choice to the child instead of the parents.
Retain Additional Sports Betting Tax Revenue: Sports betting is legal at casinos in Colorado. This proposition would allow the state to keep sports betting revenue above the amount previously approved by voters and use the money for water projects, rather than refunding it to casinos and betting operators as required by the current law.
Recommendation: We oppose this proposition. We support a key TABOR provision in Colorado’s constitution put in place to protect taxpayers from unnecessary government growth and overreach.
Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax: This proposition seeks to create a new tax of 6.5% on sales of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition. This would be exempt from the state’s revenue limits. Revenue collected will fund crime victim support services, mental health services for veterans and youth, and school safety programs.
Recommendation: We oppose this proposition because it is counter to our support of lower taxes, limited government, and the right of citizens to defend themselves. This would increase state tax revenue by $39 million in just its first year and makes gun ownership more expensive for hunters and for citizens who wish to protect themselves. The beneficiary programs are already funded by federal and state taxes.
Prohibit Bobcat, Lynx and Mountain Lion Hunting: This proposition prohibits the hunting or trapping of bobcats, lynx, and mountain lions. It would allow the killing of these animals under certain circumstances. Proposition 127 would also establish penalties for violations including jail time and up to a $1,000 fine.
Recommendation: We oppose this proposition because it is an unnecessary change to current wildlife management practices that are in the best interest of these big cats.
Parole Eligibility for Crimes of Violence: This proposition increases the amount of minimum time served from 75 to 85 percent for individuals convicted of certain violent crimes before becoming eligible for discretionary parole or earned time reductions. A person convicted of a third or subsequent crime of violence would be ineligible for discretionary parole or earned time reductions.
Recommendation: We support this proposition’s goal to insure that violent offenders, particularly those who repeatedly victimize others through violent criminal acts, should remain incarcerated until they have paid their debts to society.
Establishing Veterinary Professional Associates: This proposition creates the state regulated profession of “Veterinary Professional Associate” in the field of veterinary care and outlines the minimum education and qualifications required to become a Veterinary Professional Associate.
Recommendation: We support the creation of this new mid-level position to deal with the shortage of veterinarians to care for pets and the every increasing cost of that care.
Funding for Law Enforcement: This proposition would require the designation of $350 million from current state funds to go towards peace officer recruitment and training. Additionally, a one million dollar benefit would be awarded to officers’ families when the officer is killed in the line of duty. No additional tax funds are raised in the passing of Proposition 130.
Recommendation: While this is an expensive proposition to implement, we support this necessary one-time use of funds to support our peace officers.
Establishing All-Candidate Primary and Ranked Choice Voting General Elections: This proposition creates an all-candidate primary election for certain state and federal offices. The top four candidates, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. Voters rank candidates in the general election, with votes counted over multiple rounds, eliminating the candidate with fewest votes until a candidate receives a majority of votes.
Recommendation: We are in opposition to this proposition. The cost of implementing ranked choice voting is expected to increase substantially and the ability to audit the results will be significantly impaired at a time when voters have reduced confidence in the integrity of our election processes and results. Neither the jungle primary or ranked choice voting are a solution to election integrity concerns or the deep divisions currently created in partisan elections.